Two new signal boxes identified at the Statfold Barn (Private) Railway near Tamworth Staffordshire.

Statfold Junction which is a new build (based on You Tube video evidence in which it can be seen under construction), clearly based on MR practice http://tillyweb.biz/gallery/ss/statfoldjunc.htm. This box controls the main, 3 platform terminal station and appears to be fully signalled.

Statfold Lake (my naming as it has no name shown on the box) which is not in apparent use but has a frame within.

The overall line is circa 1.5 miles long or so and has a 'centre of line' passing point/station named Oak Tree Halt and a balloon loop at the end of the line at Cogan Halt. What appears as a double track line is actually two singles utilising staffs with the two sections on each line.

the line is worth a visit BUT only open to the public 3 times a year. Tickets MUST be obtained an advance and NO youngsters under 14 permitted.

Thanks. I've now looked at some photographs on the Geograph website - see http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/SK2406 - and these boxes and signals were in place and working by 2014. A close-up of the rear of one of the signals shows some form of possibly electrical actuator in a relatively small box. Points remotely worked seem to be by some form of 'home-made' point machine - seeing the engineering facilities available on site that's probably not surprising!

The installation at Statfold Junction is almost certainly pneumatic. It certainly looks and sounds (from the occasional hiss) like it. All the signals, point machines and outdoor equipment at adorned with "Manufactured and Installed by Track Systems UK" labels. Most is worked from the lever frame with copious use of selection to fit within the number of levers available. From what I could see from observing operation from across the tracks some of the subsidiary signals may be operated by "switches" on the block shelf.

Indeed all of the point machines are pneumatic and a very clever design to boot and I believe that the semaphore signals are also pneumatic. When I a was last there the box at Statfold Junction is a Midland style box but it has a GW style frame in it, Im not sure but it follows the style of a 5 bar vertical tappet frame although I wouldn't have thought there would be enough room under the box for the locking, it may not have mecahnical locking or indeed any locking at all for all I know, the signallers were not very helpful on my visit and would not permit me to step inside although they did allow me to take a picture from the door.

The box diagram is tittled ' Statfold PSB' and is incredibly crude in it's presentation.

Fast Line Floyd wrote:Indeed all of the point machines are pneumatic and a very clever design to boot and I believe that the semaphore signals are also pneumatic. When I a was last there the box at Statfold Junction is a Midland style box but it has a GW style frame in it, Im not sure but it follows the style of a 5 bar vertical tappet frame although I wouldn't have thought there would be enough room under the box for the locking, it may not have mecahnical locking or indeed any locking at all for all I know, the signallers were not very helpful on my visit and would not permit me to step inside although they did allow me to take a picture from the door.

The box diagram is tittled ' Statfold PSB' and is incredibly crude in it's presentation.

Thanks - John Tilly's first picture clearly shows steps at the right-hand end leading downwards, possibly to a basement 'locking room'? Or is that where they keep the air compressor? (Although with the proximity of their workshop, they may well pipe the air across from that.)

Whilst at the box door I did not hear a compressor so I would assume that the workshop supply is used. There would need to be access to the underneath of the box even if mechanical locking is not present as there would need to be access to the air valves or to the switches that operate the air valves on the point machines.

The point machines are a clever design because if the air or the electric power fails they automatically revert to hand operation by means of the built-in lever which with air present and the power on is disconnected and therefore tamper proof.

Fast Line Floyd wrote:Indeed all of the point machines are pneumatic and a very clever design to boot and I believe that the semaphore signals are also pneumatic. When I a was last there the box at Statfold Junction is a Midland style box but it has a GW style frame in it, Im not sure but it follows the style of a 5 bar vertical tappet frame although I wouldn't have thought there would be enough room under the box for the locking, it may not have mecahnical locking or indeed any locking at all for all I know, the signallers were not very helpful on my visit and would not permit me to step inside although they did allow me to take a picture from the door.

The box diagram is tittled ' Statfold PSB' and is incredibly crude in it's presentation.